Cruise News

A Dutch Guilder, dated 1898 to celebrate the year Holland America Line’s first Statendam came into service, has been welded to the front of new ship Nieuw Statendam at a special ceremony in Italy.

In anticipation of the upcoming float-out of the 99,500-ton ship on 21 December, Holland America held the “Good Luck” coin ceremony on Wednesday (6 December) at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy.

Anne Marie Bartels (left) after performing her task as Madrina in placing the lucky guilder on the mast of Nieuw Statendam

Following Italian shipbuilding tradition, Anne Marie Bartels, a member of Holland America Line’s President’s Club, served as the ship’s Madrina and welded the guilder to the forward mast of the ship.

“The coin ceremony is one of the most time-honoured traditions in the building of a ship, and having Anne Marie, one of our most valued guests, serve as Madrina makes the celebration all the more special,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line.

“Nieuw Statendam reflects the next generation in our brand evolution while maintaining the classic hallmarks we are known for. By placing an authentic Dutch guilder in the hull from the year our first ship named Statendam came into service is a meaningful way to build that bridge from our past to our future.”

Now the Nieuw Statendam will look when she joins the fleet in 2018

Ms Bartels first sailed with Holland America Line on the Nieuw Amsterdam from Rotterdamto New York when she was 21. She has since been on 79 Holland America Line cruises, including 12 Grand Voyages.

During Wednesday’s ceremony a drydock gate was opened briefly and water touched Nieuw Statendam’s hull for the first time.

Nieuw Statendam is the second Pinnacle Class ship for Holland America Line, joining ms Koningsdam, which launched in April 2016 from the same shipyard in Marghera. A third Pinnacle Class ship will set sail for the cruise line in 2021.

The new ship reflects the ongoing evolution of Holland America Line. While much of the ship’s design will be similar to Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam will have exclusive public spaces and its own style. The ship will carry 2,660 guests and feature all of the hallmarks of Pinnacle-class design: grand light-filled spaces; visual drama; and sumptuous interiors inspired by the fluid curves of musical instruments.

Holland America Line’s first ship to be called Statendam sailed in 1898, and this will be the sixth ship in the company’s history to carry the name. In combining the Dutch word for “new” with the classic “Statendam”, Holland America Line is celebrating the company’s past, present and future.

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